Jealousy among cats - multi cat households

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

the annoying thing is that there are times when they both want me, but then there are times when neither do!  Right now, Jaffa is curled up in his hammock (he should be lying stretched out by a warm radiator, but that's for another thread!) and Mosi is on a chair having a wash.  Nobody wants my lap but earlier on, they were both trying to get on there.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

this shows that carrie has got quite a lot of marbles in there still 

[JackSpratt]

Oh yes - Old Mog definitely feels noone other than her should get our knees to sit on! If another cat is sat having a fuss she marches over and tries to wheedle her way between whichever cat is getting a fuss and the human in question! The others aren't so bad; it's just pedantic Old Mog again!

[Gail Bengal Slave]

Zubin is jelous of everything - if I am stitching or reading he has to come and sit on me so he get the attention. If I stroke Zeb he beats him up. This is why he dislikes Thai so much as she does get attention, coming to bed with us each night. But I have to carry her as he will beat 7 bells of poop out of her.

[Zenith (Liz)]

My two are brother and sister and they absolutely love each other, except Nova gets jealous if we're having snuggle time with his sister and has to push in.  The problem is once Mia's been disturbed by him she generally doesnt settle down again and will sit away

I do love them both 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Yes I have it here!

Ducha now lives upstairs in the bedroom most of the time and he knows he gets all my attention! at night in bed and he does not like any other cat up there at all.

While Franta has been ill he has had more than his share of attention and he is determined it stays that way, so spends most of his time on my lap or close to my feet while I am on the puta.

Poor Misa is not getting enough attention at the moment and hates Franta especially now he sees Franta evry time he comes up one what he regaurds as his desk..........and he thinks its been stolen. I can see real sorrow in his face which makes me so sad.

Sasa doesnt do people but she comes to tell me she wants to play and then I have a problem again, cos Misa will want to play too. Yesterday Misa wanted to play but Sasa kept stealing the toy that I was swishing and they will only play with this one toy in the house..........da birdy they think is for outside only........sigh. So poor Misa was looking sadly out of his tent cos he wanted to play but Sasa had the toy and wouldnt let go.

He is such a gentleman cat that he will allow Sasa to play with da birdy outside while he just watches, then when she has finished he wont play. He also doesnt do laps cos he is too big I think, so only strokes and cuddles for him and I want him back with me.

I find it a real problem.

[MrsR]

Bunty gets very jealous as does Misha but Bunty is the worst if I am stroking anyone else, she will literally try and stand on the cat I am stroking to get to me.

[Liz]

We have the same problem with some of the former handrears - 2 especially think I am their Mother and always get upset if anyone else wants to sit on my knee

When Sweetie our 17 y.o. is around she is always on my knee and sleeps with me every night the others have learnt that she is first - she has owned me the longest

We tend to split our time with knees and now have 14 on the bed at night and they all have their own bit of parent

It is hard but ours seem to have us well trained as to their special time and sometimes when we have cisitors they think we are quite mad!

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Do any of you with multi cat households have problems with jealousy between cats?  Not talking about overt problems of anxiety and cats not getting on, spraying and the like, just general jealousy for attention and how you divide your tim between them.  I only have the 2, but right now Mosi is on my lap.  Jaffa is sitting on the computer desk and is clearly wanting my attention.  But he has been on my lap and now Mosi has arrived.  Jaffa isn't acting aggessive or anything, and he wont try to turn Mosi off my lap, but he clearly thinks I should give him my attention instead of giving it to Mosi.  He keeps looking at Mosi and then at me, and his expression is easy to read.  I know that the minute Mosi gets up, he will be on my lap.  Mosi is not budging and is giving me that "but it's my turn now, mum" look.  I sometimes feel torn in two and have no idea how those of you with more than 2 cats manage!